Chapter Guide to State FFA Activities

Dairy Cattle Management & Evaluation Junior CDE

Purpose The purpose of the Dairy Cattle Evaluation Career Development Event is to provide a competitive event for agricultural education students. The event emphasizes skills in dairy cattle evaluation, selection, and dairy herd management. The goals of this event are:

• To prepare students for industry positions or to manage a modern dairy herd;

• To develop skills in observation, analysis, communication, and team collaboration; and

• To provide experience in the evaluation of dairy cattle type, production records, and dairy herd management.

Sponsor The Dairy Cattle Evaluation Career Development Event is sponsored by the North Carolina Dairy Youth Foundation and Mr. Horace Johnson.

State Event Superintendent The superintendent for this event is Mr. Jason Davis, State FFA Coordinator, NCSU, Campus Box 7654, Raleigh, NC 27695-7695 Phone: 919.515.4206 Fax: 919.513.3201 Email: jason_davis@ncsu.edu

Eligibility and General Guidelines This event is open to all FFA members in grades 6–10 from FFA chapters in good standing. All FFA members in grades 6-10 are eligible to participate in any junior career development event regardless of past participation.

Each chapter may send one team to compete at the state event. Teams shall consist of three or four members. Four scores will count towards the team total (A three-member team will earn a zero for the 4 th score). No alternates are allowed in state events. Any alternate found participating in the state event will result in total team disqualification.

FFA members in good standing may also participate as individuals in this event. A chapter may have up to two members participate as individuals as long as the chapter does not have a team participating in the event. Their scores will only count toward individual recognition, and will not be tallied as a team score.

The use or possession of cellular phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA’s) or any other mobile electronic communication device is prohibited during any state-level career development event. Any violation of this rule by any team member will result in total team disqualification.

Calculators used for this event must be only basic five function (add, subtract, multiply, divide, and square root only) calculators. Possession of scientific calculators and other programmable calculators or other non-basic calculator by any team member shall result in total team disqualification.

Any member found cheating in any state-level career development event will result in total team disqualification for that event.

Dress Code Participants are required to follow the North Carolina FFA Career Development Event Dress Code. A ten percent reduction in the total team score will be taken if a participant violates the dress code. Participants are allowed to wear long pants, an appropriate shirt with a collar or an appropriate high school or FFA t-shirt.

Procedures for Administering the Event Placing Classes – 50 Points per class

• Using Universal Form A, six to eight classes of four animals will be placed on type (All classes will be selected from one or more of the five major breeds of dairy cattle.).

• A maximum of 12 minutes will be allowed to place each class

• Animals will be numbered 4, 3, 2, and 1, left to right, as viewed from the rear.

• The Hormel Computing Slide or an appropriate

Chapter Guide to State FFA Activities

software program will be used for scoring. • Contestants will be permitted to view the

animals from all angles but will not be permitted to handle the animals.

• A perfect score is 50 points per class.

Oral Reasons – 50 Points per class • Oral reasons will be required for one class of

cows to be designated by the contest official(s). • Contestants will have 15 minutes to place this

class. • A maximum of 12 minutes to prepare reasons • Two minutes to deliver the oral reasons • Contestants may use their placing card while

giving reasons. No other notes will be permitted.

• A perfect score for reasons is 50 points.

Scoring 6-8 Placing Classes 50 points/class

1 Oral Reasons 5o points/set

Procedure for Determining the State Event Winner When Scores are Tied In the event a tie score exists, the following methods will be applied in sequential order until the tie is broken: 1. Compare the alternate scores. The lowest team

member score is the alternate score. 2. Compare scores on the placing categories

starting with the youngest to the oldest until the tie is broken.

If these methods fail to break the tie, co-winners will be declared.

Procedure for Determining the State Event Winner When Scores are Tied for Individual Participants Ties in scores between individuals will be broken by comparing the scores of the portion/section of the event that carries the highest point value. For example, if an event consists of 500 points for placement, 100 points for oral reasons, and 50 points for the written test; the tie breaker would be on the placement section of the event.

State Awards The following awards will be presented annually at the state FFA convention provided sponsorship is available:

State Winning Team $500, first place team plaque, team pins for

member Second Place Team Second place team plaque, team pins for

member Third Place Team Third place team plaque, team pins for member

Bibliography For more information see the National FFA Career Development Events Handbook.

The written test will be taken from the following references. The major references will be Modern Livestock and Poultry Production by James Gillespie; The Holstein’s Foundation Dairy Judging Workbook by the Holstein Foundation (802.254.4551); Linear Classification System by the Holstein Foundation; and Instructional Materials Services, Texas A & M University (8642A, 8647A, 8646E, 84-5). Additional questions may be taken from the: N. C. Agricultural Statistics, Latest edition available and other Cooperative Extension Service and Dairy Breed Association manuals or booklets. Calming Upset Customers, Rebecca L. Morgan, ISBN – 1-56052-384-0 Telephone Courtesy & Customer Service, Loyd Finch, ISBN – 1-56052-064-7 Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses, Richard F. Gerson, ISBN 1-56052-172-4 Agri-Marketing Technology, Selling and Distribution in the Agricultural Industry, Jasper Lee, James G. Leisning, David E. Lawyer, Interstate Publishers, Inc. Danville, IL

Chapter Guide to State FFA Activities

ORAL REASONS SCORECARD Participant Number ________________________ Participant Name __________________________ Class No. ________________________________ Class Name ______________________________ Your Placing _____-______-______-______ I. (Posture, clarity in speaking, confidence,

convincing) _______

(Max. 12) II. Proper use of terms

_______

(Max. 10) III. Accuracy of statements (based on what the

participant saw)

_______ (Max. 10)

IV. Importance of points covered (reasons for

placings, crucial points covered, complete explanation or reasons)

_______ (Max. 18)

TOTAL ______________ (Max. 50)

Chapter Guide to State FFA Activities